Rotary blade cable stripper

ABSTRACT

A machine for stripping the insulation from the ends of heavy wires and cables has a continuously rotating blade which is radially adjustable toward and away from an axially extending hole in the revolving blade carrying member. Means are provided for gripping a cable and advancing it axially through the hole and bushing means are provided in the hole for centering the cable therein. The blade is oscillatably secured on its carrying member so that it can swing away from the hole. Stop means are provided on the carrying member for limiting the swinging of the blade away from the hole so that the blade engages the cable insulation as the cable is fed through the hole and the blade then cuts the insulation when retracting the cable swings the blade inward against the blade carrying member.

nited States Patent Wright et a1.

[451 Dec. 19', 1972 ROTARY BLADE CABLE STRlPPER [72] Inventors: James R.Wright, Pompey; Ralph E.

BeVard, Fayetteville, both of N.Y. [73] Assignee: The Eraser Company,lnc.,

Syracuse, N.Y.

[22] Filed: June 7, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 151,471

[52] US. Cl ..8l/9.51 [51] Int. Cl. ..H02g 1/12 [58] Field of Search8l/9.5l, 9.5 A

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,285,167 6/1942 Montgomery..s1]9.5'1 2,393,919 l/1946 Lucarelle et al'.. ...81/9.5l 3,074,301l/l963 Carpenter ...81/9.5l 3,537,339 11/1970 Carpenter Si/9.51

Primary Examiner-Robert C. Riordon Assistant Examiner-Roscoe V. Parker,Jr. AttorneyBruns & Jenney [57] ABSTRACT A machine for strippingthe-insulation from the ends of heavy wires and cables has acontinuously rotating blade which is radially adjustable toward and awayfrom an axially extending hole in the revolving blade carrying member.Means are provided for gripping a cable and advancing it axially,through the hole and bushing means are provided in the hole forcentering the cable therein. The blade is oscillatably secured on itscarrying member so that it can swing away from the hole. Stop means areprovided on the carrying member for limiting the swinging of the bladeaway from the hole so'that the blade engages the cable insulation as thecable is fed through the hole and the blade then cuts the insulationwhen retracting the cable swings the blade inward against the bladecarrying member.

3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENT'ED nu: 19 I972 SHEET 1 0F 3 INVENTOR.

JAMES R. WRIGHT 3. BY RALPH E. BE VARD ATTORNEYS PATENTED nan 19 m2SHEET 2 UF 3 INVENTOR.

JAMES R WRIGHT & RALPH E. BE VARD ATTORNEYS.

P'A'TENTEO DEC 1 9 m2 SHEET 3 BF 3 INVENTOR.

JAMES R. WRIGHT & BY RALPH E. BE VARD ATTORNEYS 1 ROTARY BLADE CABLESTRIPPER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a machinefor stripping the insulation from the end of a cable and relates moreparticularly to a stripper in which a substantially radially disposedblade adjustably and pivotally mounted on a continuously rotating diskis adapted to swing away from the cable as it is advanced through anaxially extending hole in the disk and then to swing back and cut atubular section of insulation from the cable when the SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION The machine of the present invention has a blade holdermounted on a rotating apertured disk, the holder having adjustment meansfor adjusting the blade radially on the disk so that it can cut theinsulation to a point just short of the axially extending wire in thecable. The blade is pivotally mounted in the holder so that it can beswung away from the cable as it is advanced through the aperture of thedisk, the aperture being provided with a tubular bushing to center thecable in the aperture. Adjustable stop means are provided on the bladeholder, however, so that it can be adjusted to prevent the blade frombeing swung out of contact with the insulation of the cable.

With the stop means properly adjusted, the blade digs into theinsulation of the cable as it is advanced through the disk aperture,threading itself into the insulation. When the cable is drawn backthrough the aperture, the blade is swung back toward the disk and bitesdown through the insulation to cut it radially.

A cable gripping clamp is provided for gripping the cable and advancingit through the bushed aperture of the disk for the proper distance andthen withdrawing the cable from the aperture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a machineaccording to the invention, certain parts being broken away for clarity;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing acable gripped by the clamp;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged end elevational view of the bearing assembly shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1, some of the partsbeing shown rotated 90 and exaggeratedly spaced from the housingbackplate for clariy;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the machine as viewed from theright in FIG. 1, a portion of the shroud being cut away;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged exploded view of the blade and its supportmembers; and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views showing the operation of themachine.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, the machine10 comprises a table 11 on which is secured a motor 12, a cable grippingand advancing device 13, a bearing assembly 14, and certain rotatingparts enclosed in a housing or shroud 15. Table 11 may be provided withlegs or adapted to rest on a shelf or other support.

The cable gripping and advancing device 13 comprises a pair of parallelrods 16 spaced above table 11 and extending from a suitable supportbracket 17, secured to the table to the bearing assembly 14. Rods 16extend through holes 18 in a carriage 19, as shown in FIG. 2. Anadvancing lever 20 has one end pivotally secured to the table at 21 andconnected to the carriage by a link 22 whose ends are pivotally securedto the lever and carriage respectively, so that when the lever is movedto the right in FIG. 1 the carriage is advanced toward the bearingassembly 14. v,

Carriage 19 has a pair of cable-gripping jaws 23 and 24, the fixed jaw23 being adjustably supported from one side of the carriage ona bolt 25extending transto a position, shown in FIG. 1, by moving the handle 27of a conventional toggle clamp arrangement 28, shown diagrammatically inFIG. 1. When handle 27 is raised the jaws 23 and 24, previously adjustedand secured by means of suitable locknuts, grip and center a cable 29between them as shown in FIG. 2.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the bearing assembly 14 comprises anupstanding post member 30 having a central opening 31 axially alignedwith the cable 29 gripped between the jaws 23 and 24. The opening 31 isequipped with a tandem pair of ball bearings 32-32, for stability, whoseinner races support a flanged and threaded spindle 33. The post 30 issecured to table 11 by bolts 34 received in threaded holes 35 at thebottom of the post. Holes 36 are provided for the rods 16 and provisionis made at 37 for set-screws to hold the rods in place.

As best seen in FIG. 4, the shroud 15 has a backplate 40 secured bymeans, not shown, to post 30 and the end of table 11, as shown in FIG.5. Spindle 33 has one end flanged and the other threaded end withinshroud 15 and to this end is secured the interiorly threaded hub 42 ofan annular sprocket disk 43 welded or otherwise secured to the hub. Asbest seen in FIG. 1 the sprocket 43 is driven by a chain 44 connectingit to the sprocket 45 on the drive shaft of motor 12.

Referring to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, a blade 46 is oscillatably carried on asliding block 47 by a pin 48, the block being slideable in a bladeholder 49 which is secured by four screws 50 through the sprocket disk43 to the outer surface of the disk. As seen in FIG. 6, the holder 49has spaced apart legs bridged at the top by a portion 51 and bridged byanother portion 52 projecting at an angle to the sprocket disk 43. Thesides of the holder legs toward sprocket 43 have projecting portions53-53 which are narrower than the legs themselves, thus forming, withthe disk of sprocket 43, ways in which the slide 47 is guided, and theseportions 53- 53 contain the tapped holes for the securing screws 50.

The slide 47 comprises a bridging portion 54 integral with ofiset legportions 55-55 which are adapted to slide between way portions 53-53 ofthe holder. The leg portions 55-55 have suitable aligned holes 56-56therethrough for the pin 48 and the blade 46 is thereby pivotallysecured between legs 55--55 and adapted to swing away from the disk 43.

The bridging portion 54 of the sliding block is adapted to slide betweenthe legs of holder 49 below the bridging portion 51 which has a tappedhole 57 in the center thereof. A radial adjusting screw 58 is adapted tobe engaged in the hole 57, the reduced end of the screw passing througha hole 59 in the slide member 47, as best seen in FIG. 4. The end ofscrew 58 v has a push-on retaining washer 58' below the slide 47,

as shown, so that the slide may be adjusted toward or away from the axisof rotation of the sprocket disk 43 and spindle 33. a

The portions 53-53 of the holder may have. aligned holes 56'56therethrough so that the slide may be lowered to adjust blade 46 pastthe axis of hole 31 to align holes 56 with holes 56 so that the pin 48may be removed without disassembling the holder when it is desired tochange the blade.

A bushing 60, with a slide fit in the spindle 33 and a funnel shapedopening toward the carriage 19, is provided and has a stepped orprojecting end with a hole 61 therethrough, as shown in FIG. 4. A block62 is provided diametrically opposite the blade holder 49, the blockbeing secured to the disk 43 by two screws 63 through the disk as shown.Block 62 has a hole therethrough so that a screw 64 threaded in the holemay have its dog point secured in the hole 61, as shown, to carry thestepped bushing 60 with the sprocket disk 43 and blade 46 as theyrotate. It will be understood that a number of bushings 60 are providedwith each machine 10, each bushing having a different inner diameter soas to provide a centering support for each different size of cable to beprocessed by the machine.

The blade 46 may be swung away from pulley 43 as indicated in brokenlines at 46" in FIG. 4. A stop screw 65 is provided threaded through ahole 66 in the second bridging portion 52 of the holder to adjustablylimit the swinging movement of the blade 46. Locknuts 67 and 68, orother locking means, are provided for the screws 65 and 58,respectively, as shown in FIG. 4.

A hinged door 69, with an appropriate catch or lock 70 is provided atthe outer side of the shroud 15, for access to the screws 58, 64 and 65,and a hole 71 at the bottom of the shroud is provided for a purpose tobe described.

An adjustable stop bushing 72 is also provided slideably mounted on oneof the rods 16 and securable in adjusted position by a clamping screw 73for limiting the movement of carriage 19 toward the bearing assembly 14.

In operation, the clamping jaws 23 and 24 are first adjusted by turningbolts 25 and 26 and tightening their locknuts for proper gripping of theselected cable 29 axially aligned with opening 31. The proper bushing 60for correct centering of the chosen cable is then installed and securedin place by tightening the dog-end bolt 64.

Screw 58 is then adjusted so that the knife edge 46' of blade 46 justclears the central wire section 29 of the cable 29 so that the bladeedge may cut through the insulation without cutting the central wirecore 29' of the cable. The cable end may be advanced through the centralpassage through bushing 60 to make this adjustment. The cutting edge 46'will then be disposed substantially chordally across the end of thecentral passage in bushing 60, as shown in FIG. 5.

The stop screw 65 is then adjusted to limit the swinging movement of theblade 46 away from the sprocket disk 43. The cable 29 may be advancedfor this adjustment, the swinging movement being limited so that theedge 46' of the blade is in firm contact with the cable insulation anddenting its outer surface when the'blade is in its stop or limitedposition shown at 46" in broken lines in FIG. 4. It will be noted that,when screw 65 is properly adjusted the edge 46' of the blade still lieschordally disposed with respect to-a circle defined by lines along thewalls of the passage through bushing 60 extended as indicated by brokenlines 31 in FIG. 4.

Cable 29 is then retracted by moving the carriage 19 against the bracket17 Jaws 23 and 24 are then opened by operating handle 27, the cableadvanced until its end is in alignment with the flanged end of spindle33, and jaws 23 and 24 again tightened by the handle 27.

The distance that cable 29 must be advanced to strip the insulation fromits end the desired distance is then determined, by trial and error ifnecessary, and the stop bushing 72 is secured in position to prevent thecarriage 19 from moving beyond that distance, housing door 69 is closed,and motor 12 is started.

Cable 29 is then advanced through bushing 60 by moving the lever 20 tothe right, as viewed in FIG. 1, until carriage 19 reaches the stop 72,and then the lever is returned to the left withdrawing cable 29 frombushing 60. As cable 29 meets the blade 46, it is swung back against thestop screw 65 and, as the cable is advanced further, the rotating bladedigs into the insulation of the cable and threads itself along the cableas shown diagrammatically in FIG. 7.

When carriage 19 meets stop 72 and lever 20 withdraws the cable, blade46 is returned toward the disk of sprocket 43 cutting into theinsulation until the blade is stopped by the disk 43, the blade cuttingthe insulation to a point just short of the enclosed wire 29. As cable29 is withdrawn farther the slanted cutting edge end of blade 46 forcesthe tubular severed end 29" of insulation off of the wire, as shown inFIG. 8, until it drops down through the hole 71 at the bottom of theshroud.

Usually there are a plurality of cables 29 to be cut so that jaws 2324may be again opened by handle 27 a new cable 29 placed therein, andmanually advanced to the end of spindle 33, the jaws 23-24 again closed,and lever 20 again advanced and withdrawn. When cable of a differentsize is to be stripped, of course, a new bushing 60 must be substitutedand jaws 23 and 24 readjusted.

Machine 10 can quickly strip the ends of cables of different diameters,coaxial cables as well as insulationonly-covered cables, and a cable aslarge as 1% inches in diameter can be stripped by removing the bushing60 and using the threaded spindle 33 itself as a support bushing.

We claim:

1. A machine for stripping the insulation from the ends of heavy wiresand cables, comprising: a substantially annular member rotatablysupported and having an axially extending hole therethrough, tubularbushing means in the hole having a central passage for centrallysupporting a cable end in the hole, a blade holder secured to theannular member, a knife edged blade oscillatably carried by the bladeholder and adapted to swing from a cutting position in which one side ofthe blade lies flat against the annular member with its knife edgedisposed substantially chordally across the end of the bushing passageto a stopped position in which the flat side of the blade is at an angleto the annular member with its knife edge disposed chordally across acircle defined by lines along the walls of the passage extended, meansassociated with the blade holder for adjusting the blade edge toward andaway from the axis of the annular member, adjustable stop meansassociated with the holder for limiting the swinging ofthe blade in itsstopped position with the blade knife edge in contact with and dentingthe insulation of a cable end projected through the bushing passage, anddrive means for rotating the annular member, whereby the end of a cableadvanced axially through the bushing passage swings the blade to itsstopped position with the blade knife edge engaged therewith and thenthe withdrawal of the cable swings the blade to its cutting position forcutting a tubular section of cable insulation and stripping it from thecable.

2. The machine defined in claim 1, having a table portion, a bearingassembly supported on the table portion, a spindle rotatably supportedin the bearing assembly, the annular member having a hub threadedlysecured to the spindle, and sliding carriage means mounted on the tablehaving adjustable clamp means for securing a cable thereon axiallyaligned with the bushing passage, the carriage means having meansassociated therewith for moving it axially toward and away from thestopped position of the blade.

3. The machine defined in claim 1 wherein the means for adjusting theblade edge toward and away from the axis of the annular member comprisesa threaded adjustment screw, and the means for limiting the swing of theblade comprises another threaded adjustment screw, each screw havinglocking means associated therewith.

zgygfio TE STATES ATENT @FFIQE CETIFIQATE o Patent No. 3,706,242 dDecember 19 1972 ln n fls) JAMES R, WRIGHT and RALPH E. BeVARD It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 1, line 15, "invention" should read insulation Signed and sealedthis 17th day of April 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

IAEIEI ICV'ARD M.PLETQHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK estlng OfflcerCommissioner of Patents

1. A machine for stripping the insulation from the ends of heavy wiresand cables, comprising: a substantially annular member rotatablysupported and having an axially extending hole therethrough, tubularbushing means in the hole having a central passage for centrallysupporting a cable end in the hole, a blade holder secured to theannular member, a knife edged blade oscillatably carried by the bladeholder and adapted to swing from a cutting position in which one side ofthe blade lies flat against the annular member with its knife edgedisposed substantially chordally across the end of the bushing passageto a stopped position in which the flat side of the blade is at an angleto the annular member with its knife edge disposed chordally across acircle defined by lines along the walls of the passage extended, meansassociated with the blade holder for adjusting the blade edge toward andaway from the axis of the annular member, adjustable stop meansassociated with the holder for limiting the swinging of the blade in itsstopped position with the blade knife edge in contact with and dentingthe insulation of a cable end projected through the bushing passage, anddrive means for rotating the annular member, whereby the end of a cableadvanced axially through the bushing passage swings the blade to itsstopped position with the blade knife edge engaged therewith and thenthe withdrawal of the cable swings the blade to its cutting position forcutting a tubular section of cable insulation and stripping it from thecable.
 2. The machine defined in claim 1, having a table portion, abearing assembly supported on the table portion, a spindle rotatablysupported in the bearing assembly, the annular member having a hubthreadedly secured to the spindle, and sliding carriage means mounted onthe table having adjustable clamp means for securing a cable thereonaxially aligned with the bushing passage, the carriage means havingmeans associated therewith for moving it axially toward and away fromthe stopped position of the blade.
 3. The machine defined in claim 1wherein the means for adjusting the blade edge toward and away from theaxis of the annular member comprises a threaded adjustment screw, andthe means for limiting the swing of the blade comprises another threadedadjustment screw, each screw having locking means associated therewith.